Beirut will host a business conference for local and foreign companies to coincide with the biennial Francophonie summit in October, reported the Daily Star on Monday.
The Forum Francophone des Affaires, the group linking business professionals from the 51-member Organization Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), will hold its eighth conference October 13-17.
The 2001 Francophonie summit will convene in Beirut October 26-28.
Heads of states and government officials from 55 French-speaking nations are expected to attend this year's summit, which has been dubbed “The Dialogue of Cultures.”
The gathering is co-organized by the Lebanese business association, Rassemblement des Dirigeants et chefs d'Entreprises Libanais (RDSL), and Ecole Superior des Affaire, the French-Lebanese business school.
Steve Gentili, the president of the organization who is currently visiting Lebanon, said Friday that he was planning a union of Francophonie banks based in Beirut.
The project will be announced during the business conference in October, which is expected to attract around 700 Lebanese and foreign business people.
"We as Lebanese businessmen will spotlight investment opportunities in Lebanon, particularly in the creative sectors of information technology, telecommunications, tourism, agro-industry, banking, commerce and others," RDCL president Armand Phares told the paper.
French-speaking business people from institutions such as the National Bank of Canada, the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry and others are expected to attend the business conference in Beirut this year.
Lebanon is struggling to revive its economy after decades of civil war, as well as an Israeli invasion that left in its wake minefields, orphans and ruined infrastructure – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
